Refuse collection has long been required and will continue to be needed. There are many types of refuse collection vehicles, containers and systems that have been developed over the years. Many of the vehicle improvements have focused on automating the refuse collection process. Thus, the speed and efficiency in which refuse is collected has dramatically increased. Unfortunately, the cost of the vehicles has also increased with the automation. Since the vehicles are only more efficient in the collection of refuse, the time it takes to transport and offload the refuse severely reduces inefficiency and increases the cost of handling refuse.
Even refuse collection vehicles that have been known for many years use specialized equipment, such as a hopper for receiving refuse and a packer mechanism for moving the refuse into a collection body. This equipment adds expense and weight to the vehicle which reduces efficiency and increases cost during the transport of the refuse.
Various techniques and systems have been developed to try and maximize the efficient use of automated vehicles and other refuse collection vehicles having refuse handling devices. Transfer stations are one solution. In this instance, refuse is offloaded at a central facility and repackaged for transport. While increasing the time automated or other specialized vehicles are used for collection, transfer stations are expensive to operate and labor intensive.
A very effective system incorporates a removable container on a refuse collection vehicle. In this system, a vehicle collects refuse in a container using a rear loading mechanism. The container can then be removed from the vehicle and transported by conventional container vehicles to a desired location. In this manner, the vehicle can be continually employed for refuse collection, while another vehicle can be used for transportation of the container. The primary problem with this system is that while the specialized collection devices are used at maximum efficiency, the transport vehicles are required to carry loaded containers in one direction and empty containers on the return trip. Thus, the efficiency of the transport vehicles is not maximized.
It would be highly advantageous, therefore, to remedy the foregoing and other deficiencies inherent in the prior art.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved refuse collection vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved stackable container for use on a refuse collection vehicle.
And another object of the invention is to provide an efficient method of collecting and transporting refuse employing a stackable container.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a system for the efficient use of refuse collection vehicles and transport vehicles.